Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung has given the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) two weeks’ time to finalise its restructuring plan which includes complete computerization of its operations.

Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung has given the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) two weeks’ time to finalise its restructuring plan which includes complete computerization of its operations.

On Tuesday, the L-G reviewed DDA’s restructuring plan which aims at enhancing the productivity of DDA, an organisation infamous for red tape. The plan is governed by the principles of responsibility and accountability, effective decision making, supervision and follow up, de-layering of tasks and operations, etc.

The plan also includes an interactive website for DDA which will be able to impart online services to citizens, such as payment, tracking complaints etc, providing web-based applications, notices, e-tendering etc. Four key locations — Vikas Sadan, Vikas Minar, Dwarka and Rohini have been identified for core-service delivery.

The DDA further said that it is also working on providing mobilephone-based services which will include an online public grievance cell, a senior DDA official said today. “Apart from an interactive website, we are working on public-oriented mobile phone-based services to impart civic services to people. Among other services, it will also include a public grievance cell,” Director, Systems at DDA, V S Tomar, told agencies.

Jung had asked the National Productivity Council to prepare a study on DDA’s restructuring in March. As part of the study, the findings of which were shared in the meeting on Tuesday, the council analysed DDA’s present role and its future operations. The processes involved for implementing schemes and suggesting improvements such as computerization, multi-tasking, outsourcing, etc., also assessed its existing manpower and its optimal utilization and the utility of functions and organizational structure.

The study involved assessing DDA’s existing workload and introducing greater efficiency in the organization. The study suggests that DDA’s efficiency can be improved by measures such as outsourcing non-critical or technical processes such as masonry and strengthening critical processes such as planning assistants, architects, engineers, etc. The study also suggests rationalizing a vertical command structure, creation of new positions and functions such as those involving land development, management and housing and merging of departments with overlapping areas of work such as architecture and design.

One of the main suggestions of the study is complete computerization of process in all departments of DDA. This includes IT networking within DDA for improving coordination and information flow, an effective file management system for speedy retrieval of information, GIS based project monitoring system to be set up for real time monitoring of engineering works, maintenance of parks, etc, preparing a database of existing properties through creation of ‘Know Your Property’ (KYP) and listing it.

Apart from computerizing of its processes, the restructuring plan also looks at re-skilling of its most important resource — its employees.

The process of computerization of DDA, according to the above plan shall be initiated in November, 2014 and is to be completed by September 2015, a DDA spokesperson said.